APUSH05.08_Civil War Lecture PDF

Period 5 | 1844-1877 Topic 5.8 | Military Conflict in the Civil War AP Learning Objective I: Explain the various factors that contributed to Union victory in the Civil War. 1.​ Regional Advantages a.​ Advantages of the...

Period 5 | 1844-1877 Topic 5.8 | Military Conflict in the Civil War AP Learning Objective I: Explain the various factors that contributed to Union victory in the Civil War. 1.​ Regional Advantages a.​ Advantages of the Union (the North) i.​ Greater industry and manufacturing ii.​ Larger population (20 million vs. 9 million) iii.​ Transportation and communication (72% of RR’s) iv.​ Southern Advantages b.​ Advantages of the Confederacy (South) i.​ Well-trained generals ii.​ High troop morale and enthusiasm iii.​ Home soil advantage (most battles took place in the South) 2.​ Start of War: First Battle of Bull Run a.​ Following the attack at Fort Sumter in April 1861, the two sides were officially at war. However, it was three months later, at the First Battle of Bull Run (also known at the Battle of Manassas) in July 1861, the true nature of the war became known. b.​ The Union anticipated an easy win but were driven back by General “Stonewall” Jackson’s troops and were forced to retreat to Washington 25 miles north. With nearly 1,000 deaths total, this battle showed that this would be a long and bloody war. 3.​ Four-Phased Plan & War a.​ The Union Army charted a four-phase plan… b.​ Anaconda Plan i.​ This phase focused on blockading all Southern ports to cut off supplies and trade (choking off supplies from Europe much like an anaconda). Winfield Scott, general at the opening of the Civil War, developed this plan to force a quick surrender. c.​ Control of the Mississippi i.​ This phase focused on gaining control of the Mississippi River in the western region as a strategic supply route. General Ulysses S. Grant achieved this by 1863. For his successes at the Battle of Vicksburg and in gaining control of the Mississippi, Lincoln placed Grant in command of all federal troops west of the Appalachians. d.​ Engage in “Total War” i.​ In this phase, General William T. Sherman launched a “total war” on the South, attacking soldiers and civilians in the South and destroying cities in Sherman’s March to the Sea. This “total war” was an unprecedented use of modern warfare during the Civil War. e.​ Capture Richmond i.​ The final phase was the capture of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, which fell to Grant’s Union forces on April 3rd, 1865 (roughly 4 years after the Battle of Fort Sumter). ii.​ Confederate president Jefferson Davis and his cabinet were forced to flee Richmond as fires spread throughout Richmond. Ultimately, the city was surrendered. On April 9th, 1865, Grant and Lee met at Appomattox Court House and Lee surrendered the Confederate Army. The Union had won. 4.​ Key Military Developments a.​ Black Soldiers i.​ After the Emancipation Proclamation (more on this in the next topic!), the governor of Massachusetts organized a Black regiment, the famous Massachusetts 54th. Swiftly thereafter, other states began to recruit black soldiers, and in May 1863, the federal government established a Bureau of Colored Troops to supervise their enlistment. By the end of the war, one soldier in eight in the Union Army was Black, the great majority of whom were formerly enslaved. ii.​ Nevertheless, Black soldiers received just $7 a month, about half the pay of white soldiers. They were most often assigned menial tasks behind the lines, such as digging trenches and transporting water. iii.​ Yet even in the face of significant discrimination and attacks, Black soldiers served and fought bravely. The Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to 21 Black soldiers over the course of the war. b.​ The Turning Point i.​ There is widespread disagreement among historians about the turning point of the Civil War. One commonly referenced moment was in early July 1863, when Vicksburg was captured in Mississippi and the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. ii.​ Union victory in Vicksburg gave the North control of the Mississippi and split the Confederacy in two, denying the South any further movement along or across the Mississippi River. iii.​ Union victory over the Confederates at the Battle of Gettysburg gave the North their first major victory over Lee, who was forced to retreat. From this point forward, Lee attempted no more strategic offenses. iv.​ The costs were major, however. Over 51,000 men lost their lives in just three days at the Battle of Gettysburg, for example, by far the deadliest battle of the Civil War. 5.​ Key Takeaways a.​ Both the Union and Confederacy mobilized their economies and societies to wage the war even while facing considerable home front opposition. b.​ Although the Confederacy showed military initiative and daring early in the war, the Union ultimately succeeded due to improvements in leadership and strategy, key victories, greater resources, and the wartime destruction of the South’s infrastructure.  Key Vocabulary [highlighted throughout PowerPoint and Lecture] Pink: fundamentally important Green: Very important Yellow: Somewhat important (“nice to know”) Regional Advantages Start of War Four-Phased Plan & War Key Military Developments Advantages of the Union First Battle of Bull Run “total war” Battle of Gettysburg Advantages of the Confederacy Ulysses S. Grant Sherman’s March to the Sea capture of Richmond General William T. Sherman Anaconda Plan control of Mississippi